UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION CONVENTION CONCERNING THE PROTECTION OF THE WORLD CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE

Transcription

1 World Heritage Distribution limited 25 COM WHC-01/CONF.208/7 Paris, 2 November 2001 Original: English/French UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION CONVENTION CONCERNING THE PROTECTION OF THE WORLD CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE Twenty-fifth session Helsinki, Finland December 2001 Item 7.1. of the Provisional Agenda: Periodic Reporting: Report on the state of conservation of the World Heritage in Africa. SUMMARY This document contains the conclusions and recommendations of the synthesis Report on the state of conservation of the World Heritage in Africa, submitted in accordance with the strategic approach approved by the World Heritage Committee at its 23 rd session (Marrakesh, Morocco, 29 November-4 December 2001). The Periodic Reporting exercise is to be considered as an on-going process rather than an end in itself, therefore an Action Programme for the implementation of medium-term activities is also proposed. Eighteen African States Parties, having altogether forty sites sixteen cultural sites, twenty-three natural sites and one mixed site- participated in the Periodic Reporting exercise. This exercise was an extremely useful activity in setting up a network of institutions and the establishment of a roster of experts in the fields of cultural and natural heritage. It has also served to train several conservators in the conservation and protection of cultural and natural heritage and provided the opportunity for institutions and experts to draw attention to their needs and difficulties. Finally, the Exercise has enabled the establishment of benchmarks for future monitoring and management of World Heritage sites in Africa. The complete Report will be distributed in the form of a hard copy and a CD-ROM to all States Parties. Decision required: Paragraph 7: The Committee is requested to approve the recommendations contained in this document, to examine and approve the proposed Action Programme. The World Heritage Centre will execute the Action Programme in close collaboration with the concerned States Parties.

2 INTRODUCTION At its twenty-ninth session held in 1997, the General Conference of UNESCO invited the State Parties to the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage to submit, in accordance with Article 29 of the Convention, reports on the legislative and administrative provisions they have adopted. It also invited the States Parties to report on other actions which they have taken for the application of the Convention together with details of the experience acquired in this field, including the state of conservation of the World Heritage properties located in their territories. In 1998 and following the UNESCO General Conference s request, the World Heritage Committee adopted the Format for Periodic reporting (twenty-second session). It invited the States Parties to the World Heritage Convention to submit periodic reports in accordance with the above decision. The Committee further invited the States Parties to submit periodic reports every six years using the adopted format and expressed its wishes to examine the States Parties periodic report region-byregion. The Summary Report of the periodic reports for Africa will be examined by the twenty-fifth session of the Committee. It is important to stress that the Periodic Reporting Exercise is the result of the will of the UNESCO General Conference and the World Heritage Committee to provide strong support to the States Parties in the implementation of the Convention. The exercise has been helpful in the identification of the States Parties needs and will enable the World Heritage Committee, through the Secretariat, to respond to those needs in the most relevant way. Result of the two-year's of work, the Report on the state of World Heritage in Africa is presented in three volumes divided as follows: 1. Volume 1 entitled Main Report which contains the following seven chapters: = Strategy used for periodic reporting in Africa (Chap. I, II and III); = Methodologies (Chap. IV); = Analysis per State Party and per site (Chap. V); = Definition of an Action Plan for the implementation of medium term activities (Chap. VI); = Conclusions and recommendations (Chap. VII). 2. Volume 2 entitled The Atlas which contains three chapters: = General cartography (Chap. I); = Cartographic representation of the States Parties and site managers responses to the questionnaire (Chap. II); = Profile on each site based on responses from States Parties (Chap. III). 3. Volume 3 entitled Annexes which contains the following items: = The questionnaire for periodic reporting approved by the World Heritage Committee; = The site specific questionnaire (which corresponds to the Section II of the questionnaire); = The calendar established for periodic reporting for Africa; the list of African countries involved in the exercise; = The budget approved for the implementation of the exercise; the summaries of the two regional meetings for English and for French-speaking African countries sites managers held during the course of the Exercise, and their work programme; = The analytic tables on responses received from countries. Periodic Reporting on the state of conservation of the World Heritage in Africa WHC-01/CONF.208/7, p. 1

3 7. CONCLUSIONS Contents 7. CONCLUSIONS FINAL CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Objective I State Party Organization Objective II - Identification of Properties Objective III - Management and integrated conservation plans Objective IV - Factors affecting the properties Objective V -Preventive conservation and monitoring Objective VI - Promotion of the Convention and inscribed Properties Objective VII -Training and International Cooperation PROPOSAL FOR AN ACTION PLAN FOR MEDIUM-TERM PERIODIC REPORTING Hierarchisation of the objectives Tentative calendar for implementation Strategic aspects Human and financial resources VALORIZATION OF THE PERIODIC REPORTING FOR AFRICAN SITES...17 Upon conclusion of this first periodic reporting exercise for African World Heritage sites, we are able to write the final conclusions of this synthesis. These conclusions will be presented in a dual form. a summary of the main goals and recommendations to carry out this synthesis; a synthetic presentation, in the format of forms containing important points recorded during the analysis of the questionnaires of the States Parties and sites which participated in the entire periodic reporting process. For technical reasons, this part is presented in Volume III Atlas, following the maps of the States and the sites Final conclusions and recommendations Upon termination of the first periodic reporting exercise for the African region, the conclusions that may be drawn concern the four levels examined, to which it is possible to associate the recommendations resulting from the workshops with the managers, or with the suggestions resulting from the analysis of the African periodic reporting. The four levels are the following : Sites, having as an objective the improvement of conservation, the elaboration of a planning component, improvement of management and more efficient monitoring facilities. States Parties, having as objective the promotion of the WH Convention and its philosophy, systematic integration of the heritage resource in development plans, more dynamic types of management for the sites. The African region, having as objective a better coordination of the valorisation of regional heritage and a better use of regional capacities in the field of conservation, better cooperation intra and extra regional. The Committee and the WH Convention, a finer perception of the reality of the context of conservation on the African continent, and an optimal use of the means and the activities of World Heritage with regard to this region. Periodic Reporting on the state of conservation of the World Heritage in Africa WHC-01/CONF.208/7, p. 2

4 These recommendations could be organized in a coherent manner and constitute the basis for a medium-term plan of action, the effects of which could be tested by the next periodic reporting exercise in We have found it convenient to regroup conclusions and recommendations into seven transversal themes comprising the following goals to be achieved: Objective I State Party Organisation Objective II - Identification of Properties Objective III Management and integrated conservation plans Objective IV - Factors affecting the properties Objective V Preventive conservation and monitoring Objective VI - Promotion of the Convention and inscribed Properties Objective VII Training and International Cooperation Objective I State Party Organisation Statement 1. The implementation of the 1972 Convention concerns all the States Parties to the Convention, not only those having sites inscribed. All the countries having ratified the World Heritage Convention have rights and duties vis-à-vis this Convention. Therefore it is reasonable to dispose of information as to how they implement this Convention. Thus, it would be desirable that they are associated with the activities of periodic reporting for Section I of the form, so as, when they decide to inscribe sites, they will already have an adequate infrastructure in place. 2. The exercise has highlighted the fact that in general there is no organization at the national level for the coherent implementation of all of the tasks foreseen by the World Heritage Convention, particularly when the State Party has both cultural and natural properties. 3. The integration of heritage into a management and development policy at the national, regional and local level is achieved, or is under preparation, in most of the African States. However, this affirmation covers very varied aspects from one country to another. It would be useful, in the spirit of the World Heritage Convention, to take inspiration from States that have been able to develop participatory integration policies. 4. However, we note that in half of the African States examined, there exists no policy or integration plan. An important effort remains to be undertaken to achieve this goal. Recommendations 1. It is recommended that the World Heritage Committee extend the field of Periodic Reporting in Section I of the form to all States having adhered to the World Heritage Convention, before the date referenced for the exercise in question. 2. Because of the diversity of situations, legislation, and scarcity of competence, it is recommended to States Parties that the national services in charge of the conservation of World Heritage properties be coordinated by a «National Committee for the World Heritage Convention» placed under the responsibility of high ranking State officials (President or Prime Minister). It is recommended that this organism coordinate activities for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention, facilitate the dissemination of information to services directly responsible for the different aspects of heritage and ensure optimal conservation conditions for this. 3. Given that it is necessary and urgent that protection, conservation and presentation of cultural and natural heritage be the subject of veritable national strategies aiming at their integration into the Periodic Reporting on the state of conservation of the World Heritage in Africa WHC-01/CONF.208/7, p. 3

5 economic and social development plans, management and territorial development, it is recommended that the States Parties combine their efforts in the framework of the African region and with the help and assistance of the World Heritage Centre, UNESCO and other international bodies, to achieve this objective in the short- or medium-term, for example through the elaboration of a Charter on the integration of heritage conservation in the economic and social development plans and national development Objective II - Identification of properties Statement 1. The site managers do not have at their disposal copies of the nomination dossiers and, due to this, know nothing about them. Herein results a cascade of ignorance concerning the statement of value, authenticity, etc. The strategy followed during sub-regional meetings has been to attempt to provide these documents, in as far as possible, to the site managers, and at the end of the exercise, almost all the managers were aware of this document which is a basis for the beginning of all management programmes. The examination of these nomination dossiers has highlighted the fact that in general, they did not provide any information actually required at the time of inscription. In particular, there is a strong will to define the boundaries of the sites with precision, and when necessary, a buffer zone. 2. Two-thirds of the African States have established inventories, at least partially, of their heritage. In general, it is difficult to have complete information on all the heritage of a country because of the departmentalisation between the services concerned. As the inventory is a preliminary to all conservation activities, this stage is of the utmost importance and must be encouraged. 3. Following the implementation of the Global Strategy in Africa, it may be noted that threequarters of the African States Parties have established tentative lists, or have revised them. This procedure was generally carried out in association with the local authorities, and, more rarely, the population concerned. 4. The properties already inscribed in Africa reflect a rather conventional vision of African heritage, with a very high (23/40) majority of natural sites. Contrary to what is happening in the rest of the world, (where the natural sites are very much in the minority), sufficient importance is not given to African cultural heritage, its diversity and specificity. The tentative lists show that, thanks to the inputs of the Global Strategy, the character of African World Heritage is undergoing change, taking into account the nature-culture interactions, in the framework of the landscape concept, the notion of exchange routes, etc. It will be possible to closely examine the role played by certain sites such as the Forts & Castles of Ghana or the Royal Palaces of Abomey, in the Slave Routes in Africa. It will be possible to consider and include the cultural components of populations living in (or hunting) certain natural sites such as Aïr-Ténéré (or Mont Nimba), etc. 5. If the statement of value would appear to reflect, for most of the managers, the World Heritage values, nearly half of them think that a new statement of value is required. A majority think that very few modifications in integrity-authenticity have occurred since inscription or are foreseeable. It is true that the concise character of the information contained in the questionnaires concerning the level of wildlife and vegetation of several natural sites does not allow any judgement. Recommendations 1a. It is recommended to the World Heritage Centre that a complete copy of the nomination dossier be placed in the archives of each site and that a CD-Rom summarising the documentation be placed at the disposal of each national body for World Heritage and available to each World Heritage site. Periodic Reporting on the state of conservation of the World Heritage in Africa WHC-01/CONF.208/7, p. 4

6 1b. It is recommended to States Parties that the nomination dossiers prior to 1990 be updated on the occasion, for example, of a request for extension of the area or the quality of the site, or at the time of removal from the List of World Heritage in Danger. 1c. It is recommended that buffer zones be created systematically for all the sites (natural or cultural) undergoing heavy demographic pressure in rural zones or pressure from urban development in urban zones. 1d. It is recommended that the World Heritage Centre create and document information available at sites in the framework of a Geographical Information System. 1e. It is recommended that site managers provide a geo-referenced and marked-to scale plan of the boundaries of the site (central zone, buffer zone), so as to document the database of the World Heritage Centre. 2. It is recommended that the World Heritage Centre assist States Parties that so wish, in the elaboration of inventories of their cultural and natural heritage, in particular the natural and mixed sites and cultural landscapes. 3a. It is recommended that the World Heritage Centre assist States Parties that so wish, in the establishment of tentative lists of their heritage, and more particularly cultural landscapes. 3b. It is recommended to States Parties who do not associate local populations with the procedures of inscription on the WHL, to take inspiration from the achievements of their regional neighbours in this field. 4. It is recommended to States Parties to benefit from the updating of the statements of value or revision to the nomination of sites to integrate the new categories of heritage resulting from the Global Strategy, whenever possible. 5a. It is recommended that each State concerned (re)propose a new statement of value for the sites inscribed prior to 1994, taking into account the present-day situation of conservation and progress achieved in scientific knowledge concerning these sites since their inscription. 5b. It is recommended to foresee the convening of a regional seminar led by experts from the World Heritage Centre to provide in-depth discussions concerning the statement of value, the principals and criteria of authenticity integrity, in the light of progress made during the recent Global Strategy meetings in Africa. 5c It is recommended that the World Heritage Committee adopt the proposals made during the Harare meeting (2000), by the African experts, with regard to integrity and authenticity to clarify this dual concept and to facilitate the implementation of conservation policies based on common interests and objectives Objective III Management plans and integrated conservation Statement Ownership, legal status, protective and administrative legislation are known to the large majority of African managers (>80%). For all the African sites there exists a legal status and a national legal framework ensuring their protection. The protection framework is usually national, but there may also be regional and local provisions. In three-quarters of the cases, measures are foreseen to preserve the future. In particular, it implies the introduction of the participatory approach to the management of the site, to anticipate natural and human risks, raise awareness and educate rather than repress and forbid, etc. The States Parties retain an important responsibility in the management, not easily transferring their power/responsibilities, in spite of the lack of means they are able to invest into conservation. Decentralised management solutions exist in Africa, which could be used as pilot projects (Mali, Madagascar, Tanzania, etc.). Periodic Reporting on the state of conservation of the World Heritage in Africa WHC-01/CONF.208/7, p. 5

7 Since their inscription, the African sites have shown great stability. Boundaries, type of ownership, legal status and protection measures have not changed. Much progress remains to be achieved with regard to planning, particularly for tourism development. Today, only half of the African sites have a functional management plan. The sites inscribed at an early date (between 1978 and 1991) do not generally have one. An energetic effort in awareness raising and training is required in this field where a liaison must be made between conservation, management and means to implement management. Only half of the African States provide an annual budgetary allocation for the protection and conservation of World Heritage sites in their country. This low percentage of regular financing necessarily poses the problem of the responsibility of the State in the implementation of credible, reliable and sustainable solutions to ensure the long-term conservation of a heritage of universal importance. Seeking alternative solutions is primordial to respond to the diverse pressures that numerous WH sites in Africa experience. It is necessary to recall that The List of World Heritage in Danger presently comprises thirty sites, of which thirteen are African (43%) whilst the African inscriptions only represent 53 of the 690 sites, i.e. 7% of the World Heritage List : nearly a quarter of the African sites inscribed are inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger. It is a reality which is due to many factors but especially to the general absence of regular resources invested by the States for the conservation of their heritage. Management autonomy and the conservation-development association are the underlying objectives of most of the forms, but difficult to express in the rigid context of the State-Site relation observed. Recommendations * It is recommended to the World Heritage Centre to collate already tried participatory management experiences and to publish a brochure to diffuse and popularise these experiences. * Due to the important financial demands linked to conservation and the valorisation of heritage properties, it is recommended that States Parties reflect about adequate means so that the different World Heritage sites might rapidly become autonomous as regards management. This would be ensured through the creation of a «Site Commission» managing its staff and its own budget so as to optimise the conservation of the property and its long-term values. This management autonomy can be presented in different forms, depending on the frameworks foreseen by the legislation of the different States (public establishments, economic interest groups, para-state organizations, nongovernmental organizations, concession to private operators, etc.). It is recommended that States Parties provide to the persons responsible for the sites the means to implement the conservation measures foreseen: coordination and planning of these efforts, seeking funds, training programmes, etc. * It is recommended that the site managers seek information regarding auxiliary types of planning contributing towards the presentation or the economic development of the region where their site is located. * It is recommended to the World Heritage Centre to organise rapidly a training school for management plans in the framework of Africa 2009, for example (or in another framework). [This training would be based on the pragmatic analysis of some concrete cases for the cultural and natural «pilot sites» having a Management Plan. The workshop course would be held in a site not having a Management Plan, with the objective of collectively establishing the broad outline, during the exercise. Application to the other sites during the course of the following year]. Periodic Reporting on the state of conservation of the World Heritage in Africa WHC-01/CONF.208/7, p. 6

8 * It is recommended to States Parties and to site managers to encourage diversification in the forms of participation by the local population in the management of the sites considered as local or regional economic development instruments. A regional seminar could be convened on this theme, so as to establish the practical modalities and the different aspects, and to tackle the (difficult) question of profit-sharing between the overall population (and not only between a limited number of direct actors). * It is recommended to site managers to improve the effectiveness of the management plans by introducing an annual check against objectives announced in the Management Plans as well as a mid-term evaluation. For reasons of coherence, it would be convenient if the management plans were synchronised with periodic reporting exercises and their duration extended to six years Objective IV - Factors affecting the properties Statement The great majority of African sites, whether they be natural or cultural, undergo pressures linked to development (illegal grazing, wood cutting, clearing, waste and rubbish, uncontrolled constructions). These pressures affect the visual and structural integrity of these sites, without however threatening the functional integrity. This latter remains more difficult to identify because generally it emerges from regular observations, in the framework of regular monitoring. Environmental threats concern two-thirds of African sites, in particular, erosion of the biodiversity in both natural and cultural sites. Major and very general problems are usually mentioned such as desertification or climate change. It is urgent that the sites become seriously concerned with concrete means to combat these various pressures, in particular drought and fire. Tourist visitation exerts various pressures on sites (waste management, trampling, samples). More than half of the sites only have minimum facilities available to receive and welcome visitors. The tourist carrying capacity of the site is a generally ignored parameter, which is necessary for the implementation of the concept of sustainability with regard to tourism. Recommendations *It is recommended to associate site managers, civil authorities and populations in the elaboration of strategies to prevent major threats and natural or anthropic catastrophes concerning each WH site. * It is recommended to site managers to elaborate, at each site, a reactive plan for natural catastrophes. Set up whenever possible, an observatory to provide warning of imminence. Being the most widespread threat, each site, whether natural or cultural, should possess a prevention plan to combat fire together with the appropriate means to enforce it. * It is recommended to site managers to systematically integrate into the monitoring strategy, variables enabling the identification of trend indicators for threats and natural or anthropic catastrophes. * It is recommended that the World Heritage Centre analyse the reasons for economic success of some sites and develop a strategy to be applied to other sites. Financial income is the basis for all functional autonomy. In the same way, it is necessary to regulate income and reinvest part of it in infrastructure equipment for visitors (sustainable tourism). * It is recommended to site managers to facilitate wheelchair access for the disabled, which often only requires minor modification to tourist circulation. Periodic Reporting on the state of conservation of the World Heritage in Africa WHC-01/CONF.208/7, p. 7

9 Objective V Preventive conservation and monitoring Statement Regular monitoring is not a systematic activity for most African sites, even if two-thirds of the responses mention its existence. The analysis of responses shows that few sites dispose of an efficient and coherent monitoring methodology. Therefore updating is necessary for both cultural and natural sites. The existence of personnel specifically assigned to the activity is rare, and the means mentioned are not always adequate or adapted to our day and age. When it exists, regular monitoring often calls upon foreign expertise. Participatory monitoring associating the local population is very rare. Few sites provide information on key indicators, which are necessary for summarising observations or measures undertaken during regular monitoring. Among the major categories of monitoring indicators may be mentioned: measures of environmental factors, the evolution of restoration activities, architectural measures, periodic photography (for cultural sites); monitoring of abiotic factors, estimate of numbers, evolution of pressures (for natural sites); evolution of looting acts, evolution of visitor frequentation, inspection reports, for all sites. The few African sites that have set up a relevant monitoring activity could establish pilot sites and serve as references to systemise and develop this activity. The establishment of a monitoring methodology adapted to African sites is urgently required for the medium term. The establishment of coherent activities for regular monitoring is the basis for preventive conservation activities: this may be activated at an early stage through the observation of the evolution of indicators, without waiting for the proof of consequent deterioration, and for which the rehabilitation is always more costly. It is for this reason that periodic reporting activities and preventive conservation must be systematically integrated into the management plans of the African cultural and natural sites. Recommendations * It is recommended that the World Heritage Centre programme a Training School in the techniques of periodic monitoring for African sites, including workshop seminars, to increase the notions of functional integrity and the associated monitoring methods. The objective of this school would be to define reporting methods, by providing a model format for natural sites and cultural sites, based on the present achievements of the different sites. For natural sites, there is an urgent need to set up inventory and evaluation methodologies of flora, plants and wildlife. For the cultural and natural sites, a methodology for evaluation of the evolution of landscapes needs to be defined. For cultural sites, methodological lines must be defined that are easily applicable by mid-level personnel based at the African sites having already set up this type of expertise. * Site managers are recommended to become equipped (and to train ad hoc personnel) with available modern monitoring facilities (GIS, computer equipment, etc.), including a basic weather station at each site Objective VI - Promotion of the Convention and inscribed Properties Statement Actions aimed at the promotion of the WH Convention and the inscribed sites are mentioned in 80% of the countries that provided a response. Information is targeted at the general public through the use of media such as radio or television. Open House days are organized at many sites. It would Periodic Reporting on the state of conservation of the World Heritage in Africa WHC-01/CONF.208/7, p. 8

10 be desirable to systemise these exemplary actions because, for the most part, their implementation requires limited means in comparison to an important public awareness action. Public awareness actions are also organized for the local population to inform them of the interest of these sites. More often than not, it would be effective to directly involve the population in the management and the conservation and rehabilitation activities of the sites. A review of the promotional activities at the level of the different African countries shows potentials adapted to the economic realities of this continent. It is the responsibility of the World Heritage Centre to disseminate this information to all the States Parties for its widespread use. The suggestion to initiate a World Heritage Day could be the occasion to synchronise numerous activities and to give them breadth and new repercussions. Recommendations * It is recommended to States Parties and to site managers to open a debate aimed at the updating of administrative structures so as to provide the sites with increased autonomy. * It is recommended to the World Heritage Committee to initiate an International World Heritage Day, with events at the level of each State. It is recommended to site managers to systematically organize Open House days and twin them with a local event, to systematically associate the local population. * It is recommended to site managers to establish a special evaluation day at each site, closely associating the population with the results obtained (in reporting and management) and with the efforts to be made, in a context which valorises local cultures and traditional knowledge Objective VII Training and International cooperation Statement Research and scientific activity: Three-quarters of the African sites dispose of minimum equipment enabling scientific research. However, in general, the equipment must be updated and completed. In particular, computer means are non-existent or outdated in numerous sites. Access to Internet is being established, but remains very costly or impossible due to the distance of many sites. Staff should include persons who are trained to carry out routine research tasks (updating of databases, maintenance of collections, documentation, monitoring, etc.). Half of the African sites have participated (and often continue) in fundamental or applied scientific research programmes. These programmes are often carried out on the initiative of foreign organisms (universities, research centres). Research results are generally available and diffused by different media. Research is an important element of the conservation of sites because, in numerous cases, it enables a better comprehension of the interest and signification of the sites. Education Nearly all the African World Heritage sites ensure, in Africa, an educational function through the reception of very numerous primary school and high school classes of students who can thus be informed of the wealth of their national and world heritage. This educational function is primordial for the awareness raising of young people for the conservation of national and world heritage. It should be a priority for all the African States. Training Training needs for the protection and conservation of heritage have been identified by most of the African States. Requests concern, in decreasing order, management and planning for World Periodic Reporting on the state of conservation of the World Heritage in Africa WHC-01/CONF.208/7, p. 9

11 Heritage sites, conservation and restoration training, environmental and monumental monitoring. If several States dispose locally of training opportunities (universities or training centres), common references mention the EPA (African Heritage School) of Porto Novo and the Wildlife Schools of Garoua and Mweka. Two-thirds of African States Parties have enabled their staff to benefit from heritage training in or outside of the country. However, important efforts remain to be accomplished in this field where the idea of further training is not linked to the professional cursus of agents. International cooperation Very generally, African States Parties maintain bilateral or multilateral cooperation activities for World Heritage protection and conservation. For the most part, this involves conservation programmes or management improvement of the sites and economic development plans for the periphery of the sites. Twinning with non-african sites only concerns four of the sites examined. In all the cases cited, cooperation is a South-North cooperation. Not one case of South-South cooperation is mentioned. A third of African States Parties dispose of bilateral or multilateral funding bodies which assist them in the implementation of the World Heritage Convention. Recommendations * Managers are recommended to twin the World Heritage sites with national or international research bodies (universities, research institutes), so as to update facilities and energise research. * Site managers are recommended to establish, at site level, scientific committees responsible for the organization of research activities, to deliver research permits, organize the gathering of information necessary for the regular reporting of the sites. * Site managers are recommended to become acquainted with the use of Internet services and more specifically with the use of resources related to World Heritage (present resources of the Internet server, or creation of an ad hoc resource centre), in the framework of the establishment of a functional network for site managers and those responsible for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention in Africa. * Site managers are recommended to encourage school visits at the level of all African World Heritage sites, and to develop appropriate educational programmes for each site. * It is recommended that States Parties study the bases for the establishment of inter-african cooperation in the field of conservation, based on communities in construction techniques (earth, wood, thatch) as in the levels of biodiversity. This cooperation could be based upon existing institutions such as EPA, Porto-Novo, and the Wildlife Schools of Mweka and Garoua. The creation of pilot sites (considered as centres of excellence) or centres of African resources related to heritage should be the departure point for South-South cooperative actions on this continent. This cooperation could, at the start, be triangular and associate multilateral funding agencies or ones from the Northern hemisphere. * It is recommended to States Parties to develop national or international Foundation-type structures to organize funding for conservation activities for natural and cultural heritage. It appears relevant to study the possibility of creating an African Heritage Fund with the objective of assisting in funding operations targeted in the region, and financed by the richest States Parties and multinational companies that exploit the African natural resources and benefit from extraordinary profits Proposal of an Action Plan for Medium-Term Regular Reporting The recommendations which have been formulated at the level of the seven major transversal objectives may be organized in a coherent manner and constitute the basis for a medium-term Periodic Reporting on the state of conservation of the World Heritage in Africa WHC-01/CONF.208/7, p. 10

12 «action plan for periodic reporting». The effects of this could be tested by the next periodic reporting exercise in Hierarchisation of objectives We have recapitulated the Main Objectives and the recommended actions which result in a recapitulative table. Other than these actions, the table below notes: Potential addressees (States Parties (SP), WH Committee (Co), African Region (Afr), Site Managers (SM), Local Population (Pop), World Heritage Centre (WHC). Implementation periods (short-term = 1 to 2 years; medium-term: from 3 to 4 years; longterm: more than 5 years). The notion of long-term, may in some cases, go beyond the period under consideration of 6 years, particularly for some recurrent actions. The level of priority regrouped into three categories (1* = Top priority; 1 = priority ; 2 = important), Level of feasibility: three levels : *** actions without any technical problems for implementation, ** actions requiring a consensus or means, * actions for which implementation is more problematic (which does not deny their interest). The strong political will necessary : if some actions are part of the daily routine for their implementation (noted *), others require recognition (**) of their utility, and finally some will be less easily adopted.(***). Possible sources of funding (WHF: World Heritage Fund; monitoring line of the WHF; CP: conventions with the private sector; CB: Cooperation Conventions between the Centre and donor countries; CM: multilateral funding). Major transversal themes Objective I Organization of States Parties Objective II - Identification of Properties Code Recommended actions I-1 Documentation of Section I of the periodic reporting form by all States Parties I-2 Creation of "National Committees for the World Heritage Convention" I-3 Elaboration of national strategies integrating protection, conservation and presentation of cultural and natural heritage, in economic and social development plans and management and development of the territory II-1 Documentation : Duplicate of the nomination dossier II-2 Updating of nomination dossiers prior to 1990 Address ee Periodic Reporting on the state of conservation of the World Heritage in Africa WHC-01/CONF.208/7, p. 11 Ter m Priori ty Technic al feasibilit y Politica l will Co m 1 *** ** SP SP m 1 ** *** SP Co, EP, WHC Fundin g source c, m 1 ** *** SP ; CB WHC c 2 *** * Monit line SP m 2 *** * SP, WHF,

13 CB Objective III Management and integrated conservation plans II-3 Creation of buffer zones for sites undergoing heavy pressures II-4 Creation of a Geographical Information System at the World Heritage Centre. Sg, SP m 2 ** ** SP, CB WHC c,m 1 *** * Monit line II-5 Site Plans Sg c 2 ** * Monit line II-6 Preparatory Assistance for national heritage inventories WHC c, m, l 2 *** * FPM, CB II-7 Preparatory assistance for the elaboration of tentative lists WHC c, m, l 2 *** * WHF, CB II-8 Participation of local population in the nomination procedures SP c, m, l 1 ** ** SP, CB II-9 Updating of nomination criteria for the sites II-10 Updating of the statement of value for sites inscribed before 1994 II-11 Regional seminar on the notions of the statement of value and principles and criteria of authenticity integrity III-1 Record participatory management experiences and produce a plaque III-2 Automation of management structures for properties inscribed on the WHL III-3 Means to implement conservation measures for sites III-4 Additional planning at site level III-5 Training schools for management plans III-6 Regional seminar on the Diversification of Participatory Management and Economic Development III-7 Evaluation and updating of management plans SP m 2 ** * CB SP l 3 ** * WHF, CB SP, Af m 1 *** * WHF, CB WHC m 2 *** * Monit line SP m, l 1 ** *** SP, CB EP c, m, l 1 * *** SP, CB Sg c 2 *** * SP, CB WHC m 1 *** * SP, Sg m 1 *** * WHC, CB Sg m 2 *** ** CB Periodic Reporting on the state of conservation of the World Heritage in Africa WHC-01/CONF.208/7, p. 12

14 Objective IV - Factors affecting properties Objective V Preventive conservation and reporting Objective VI - Promotion of the Convention and Properties inscribed Objective VII Training and International Cooperation IV-1 School for the management of natural and anthropic risks IV-2 Elaborate strategies for the prevention of natural or anthropic risks IV-3 Reactive plan for natural catastrophes IV-4 Trend indicators for natural and anthropic risks IV-5 Analysis of reasons for economic success of some sites IV-6 Facilitate site access to the disabled V-1 Training School for periodic reporting techniques Co, CPM m, l 1 *** * CB SP, Sg, Pop m, l 2 ** * CB Sg m, l 2 ** * SP Sg c, m, 2 *** * SP, S l WHC c, m 2 *** * FPM Sg c, m 2 * *** SP, CB WHC m, l 1 *** * WHC, CB V-2 Updating reporting means Sg m, l 1 * ** CB VI-1 Reflection towards the updating of the administrative structures of sites VI-2 Establishment of an International World Heritage Day VI-3 Establishment of a Special Site Day VII- 1 VII- 2 VII- 3 VII- 4 VII- 5 Twinning of World Heritage sites with research bodies Scientific committees for the site African network of site managers and New Information Technologies School visits to the World Heritage sites and educational programmes Inter-African cooperation for conservation SP, Sg m, l 1 ** *** WHF, CB Co, WHC SP, Sg, Pop c 2 *** ** WHF c 2 *** ** SP SP, Sg c,m 2 *** ** CB SP, Sg c, m 2 *** * SP Sg, SP, Afr, WHC Sg, SP c, m, l SP, WHC, Afr c, m 2 *** ** SP, WHF, CB 1 *** ** SP, Sg m, l 1 ** ** CM, WHF Periodic Reporting on the state of conservation of the World Heritage in Africa WHC-01/CONF.208/7, p. 13

15 VII- 6 Creation of an African Heritage Fund Co, Afr, SP m, l 1 * *** CB, CP, CM This first table (above) only lists the recommended actions of the objectives, in function with the priorities which result from the analysis of the forms or the proposals made during the sub-regional meetings by the site managers. The organization of the table does not question the order of priority indicated in column No. 6. In order to reinstate the notion of priority, in relation to feasibility and difficulty of achievement, the columns 6, 7 and 8 must be taken into consideration Tentative calendar for implementation The adoption of the Action Plan for Periodic Reporting (APRP), during the 25th session of the World Heritage Committee will enable the commencement of implementation at the beginning of 2002 for some objectives which only require the approval of the Committee and limited means for their application (for example: Objective VI-2 International World Heritage Day, Objective I-1 Documentation for Section I of the form by all States Parties of the reporting region, etc.), inasmuch as these actions have already begun in some States Parties. Other objectives are more complex to implement, either they require a time of consultation with different partners, or they require major funding. Generally, their start up is slower and their span of action is longer: the creation of an African Heritage Fund belongs to this category. The implementation of the Action Plan for Periodic Reporting has, here, been planned on a provisional basis over six years, which is the interval between two exercises of periodic reporting. Some actions are targeted in the medium-term programme, and, once a decision taken, can be executed in a short time span. Others are recurrent actions that will be repeated (most likely) far beyond this time line. As an indication, it may be considered that, after examination by the Committee, the following objectives could be implemented immediately: 1 II-1 Duplication of nomination dossiers: the World Heritage Centre prints a copy of the nomination dossier from a CD-Rom archive and sends it to each person responsible at the site to be archived. The CD-Rom summarizes the documentation to be updated for the African region and sent to each World Heritage national body and to each World Heritage site (about 100 copies of a CD-Rom to be reproduced). Implementation in January 2002, reproduction of copies and the CD before April Dispatch before June Report to be made to the Bureau in July II-5 Maps of the sites: the Centre requests by circular letter addressed to site managers to provide a geo-referenced and marked-to scale plan (map with longitude and latitude indicated) of the boundaries of the site (central zone, buffer zone), finally, to document the database of the World Heritage Centre. This action could be realized during the three months following the Committee. Request to be made in January 2002, response requested before April Report to be made to the Bureau in July III-4 Additional planning at site level: the Centre requests site managers to become familiar with the types of auxiliary planning existing (for example: local development plan, regional development plan, tourist development plan, regional or national projects, etc.) and enabling to contribute towards the presentation or economic development of the region where their site is located. Request to be made in January 2002, response requested before April Report to be made to the Bureau in July Periodic Reporting on the state of conservation of the World Heritage in Africa WHC-01/CONF.208/7, p. 14

16 4 VI-2 The Committee of 2001 could accept the principal of an International World Heritage Day. A reflection will be carried out by an ad hoc commission to decide on the most suitable day and possible activities, which would be approved by the Committee in 2002 with implementation in VI-3 With regard to a Site Day, the principal could be decided in 2001, its organization by States Parties and the sites would become operational in The first Site Day could coincide with the 30th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention (this activity already exists in some States Parties ) Strategic aspects The elaboration of this Action Plan will enable the implementation of five major strategies aiming at an application of the World Heritage Convention at State Party and site levels. The following five strategies identified are: Strategy «Training» : Objectives II-11, III-5, III-6, IV-1, V-1 and VII-5 Strategy «Management» :Objectives I-2, I-3, III-2, III-3, III-4, III-5, III-7, IV-5, VI-1 and VII-2 Strategy «Site reporting» : Objectives IV-1, IV-2, IV-3, IV-4V-1 and V-2 Strategy «Participation» : Objectives II-8, III-1, III-2 and III-6 Strategy «Network and cooperation» : Objectives VII-1, VII-3, VII-5 and VII-6 Regrouped into «strategies», these interactions clearly demonstrate the transversal character of the major objectives. The above list is not comprehensive. This presentation by strategy is certainly more didactic for the users of the report. It will be favoured for the presentation of this report to the Committee Human and financial resources The implementation of the medium-term APPR programme requires the combination of human and financial resources, diverse and varied competences, so that the objectives identified can be achieved. This must be associated with the other programmes decided upon by the Committee and for which application is ongoing, like the Global Strategy, and the Africa 2003 and Africa 2009 Programmes. 1. Cooperation with the advisory bodies At the level of competences, it will be necessary to closely associate nominated advisory bodies of the World Heritage Committee in its elaboration: IUCN, ICOMOS and ICCROM should be closely associated with the elaboration phase and the implementation phase of this programme, all the more so as the African domain is one where natural and cultural elements are closely intermingled to constitute original heritage ensembles. This does not exclude recourse to other organisations having a competence in the field of conservation, protection, presentation of natural and cultural heritage. 2. Cooperation with other UNESCO programmes It would appear to be valuable to bring together the existing competences within UNESCO to strengthen the implementation of the APPR. Close collaboration with the MAB Programme of the Division of Ecological Sciences would appear all the more useful in that numerous African World Heritage sites are also Biosphere Reserves (African specificity) and that the MAB Programme is fully implicated in research of sustainable development strategies. The same is applicable to Periodic Reporting on the state of conservation of the World Heritage in Africa WHC-01/CONF.208/7, p. 15